Vacuum nozzle

ABSTRACT

A vibratable material strip installed within a vacuum nozzle to prevent bridging of material within the nozzle and break up material bridging adjacent the nozzle.

United States Patent lnventor Roy T. Cone Bartlesville, Okla. 1,436

Jan. 8, 1970 Oct. 5, 1971 Phillips Petroleum Company Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee VACUUM NOZZLE 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 302/58, 302/64, 302/66 Int. Cl B65g 53/40 Field of Search 302/58, 64, 66, 56

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,499,693 3/1950 Stanton 302/58 3,062,590 11/1962 Turner et a1. 302/58 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,100,584 4/1955 France 302/58 Primary Examiner-Andres H. Nielsen Attorney-Young and Quigg ABSTRACT: A vibratable material strip installed within a vacuum nozzle to prevent bridging of material within the nozzle and break up material bridging adjacent the nozzle.

PATENTEDUCT 51971 $3,610,697

INVENTOR.

R T CONE ATTORNEYS VACUUM NOZZLE This invention relates to an improved vacuum nozzle for removing material from a container. in another aspect, this invention relates to a vibrating means within a vacuum nozzle for preventing clogging of the nozzle and breaking up external bridging of material during the removal of material from a container.

In the transfer of bulk material, such as powder, pellets, or small irregularly shaped particles such as diatomaceous earth for example, a vacuum means is often employed. One of the most serious problems encountered when using this equipment is that the material being recovered often bridges across and adjacent the nozzle thereby preventing a uniform recovery of the material. When handling certain types of materials, nozzle bridging sometimes progresses to a condition wherein the nozzle is completely plugged and the vacuum equipment must be shut down and the nozzle cleared. Even where nozzle bridging is not complete, it often becomes necessary for the operator to remove the nozzle from contact with the material and manipulate said nozzle until the particle bridging has been broken up. This particle bridging and operations to clear the bridges from the nozzle and maintain a volume of material adjacent the opening of the nozzle increases the requirements of labor, machinery, and maintenance.

lt is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved nozzle that reduces the occurrences of particle bridging. Another object is to provide an improved apparatus that reduces the labor, machinery, and maintenance necessary to handle a unit volume of material. Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawing.

The drawings are diagrammatic views in partial section of the apparatus of this invention installed within a vacuum nozzle. FIG. 1 is a frontal view and FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus.

FIG. 1 shows a vacuum nozzle 2 which has a longitudinal axis, a chamber 4, an inner surface 6, and first and second end portions 8, 10. The second end portion of the nozzle 2 is attached to an associated vacuum source and apparatus for moving air and material through the nozzle and recovering said material at a remote location. The second end portion 10 generally has an attachment means formed thereon for connecting said nozzle 2 to a flexible hose for example. The first end portion 8 is generally of larger diameter than the second end portion 10 of the nozzle.

A holding element 12 is attached at a first end 14 to the inner surface 6 of the nozzle 2. The holding element extends a distance laterally from said surface 6 toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 2. The holding element can extend across the chamber 4 of the nozzle 2 and be attached at a second end 16 to the inner surface 6 of the nozzle 2. In order to maintain the chamber with as little restrictions as possible, it is preferred that the holding element 12 be attached to the nozzle 2 at the first end 14, extend through the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 2 and terminate at the second end 16 in the chamber 4 adjacent the longitudinal axis.

A strip of flexible material 18 is attached to the second end 16 20, the holding element 12 and extends within the chamber 4 toward, for example, the second end portion 10 of the nozzle 2. In order to centrally locate the flexible material 18in order that its movement (to be later described) imparts a vibration to the nozzle 2 and vibrates to more readily break up particle bridging, it is preferred that the flexible material strip 18 be attached to the holding element 12 on the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 2 and that said strip 18 extend substantially along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 2. Since most nozzle bridging of material during operation occurs near the noule throat 20, it is preferred that the holding element 12 and flexible material 18 be positioned at or near said nozzle throat 20.

The dimensions and stiffness factors of the flexible material 18 are dependent upon the velocity of the air and material passing through the nozzle, the configuration of the airstream after passing over the holding means 12, the type and shape of bulk material being handled, and other factors. It is important, however, that at operating conditions the flexible material is vibrated by the air and material passing through the nozzle 2 at a frequency which imparts vibrational forces to the nozzle 2 and vibrates said nozzle. The dimensions and construction of the vibrating material strip 18 for a particular material and velocity can be determined by laboratory tests. The air and material velocities and dimensions of material-handling nozzles and equipment cover a wide range and therefore for a given nozzle and associated equipment, the material strip 18 must be sized, preferably by longitudinal adjustment, to dimensions such that at operating conditions the nozzle 2 is vibrated at a resonate frequency with the material strip 18. It has been found that strips 18 formed of plastic material and the like are rugged, sufficiently flexible and function properly. Other types material such as metal, fabric and the like can, however, be used.

For matching the construction of the material strip 18 to the particular operating of and materials being handled, a maintaining element 22 and moving means 24 can be associated with the element and adjusted during operation of the nonle 2 to sufficiently break up the particle bridges within the nozzle and cause the nozzle 2 to vibrate at a resonate frequency to break up bridges adjacent the nozzle. The maintaining element 22 is attached at a first end 26 to the inner surface 6 of the nozzle 2 at a location between the holding element 12 and the second end portion 10 of the nozzle 2. The maintaining element 22 extends a distance laterally toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 2 and into contact with the flexible material strip 18. Contact of the maintaining element 22 with the flexible material strip 18 dampens or prevents vibrations in the portion of the material strip 18 between the maintaining element 22 and the holding element 12. This maintaining ele ment 22 thereby functions relative to the flexible material strip 18 similar to a finger being placed on a guitar string. In order to change the vibration frequency of the material strip 18, moving means such as a bolt 28 are attached at a first end 30 of the strip 18 with the threads of said bolt 28 being in register with threads formed on the second end 16 of the holding element 12. The frequency of vibration of the flexible material strip 18 can thereby be changed by, as shown in FIG. 2, iongitudinally moving the strip 18 relative to the maintaining element 22 in response to rotating the bolt 28. Since the maintaining element 22 can be a bar forcefully urging against one side of the material strip 18, a plate with an opening substantially the same dimensions as the strip 18 for inserting said strip 18 therethrough, or other configurations, it is preferred that the bolt 28 be attached to the flexible material strip 18 by a swivel 32 in order that the bolt 28 can be turned without rotating the flexible strip 18.

in the operation of the apparatus of this invention, a vacuum source is pulling air through the nozzle 2 in a direction from the first end portion 8 toward the second end portion 10. The second end portion 10 of the nozzle 2 is inserted into a container holding material to be transferred. The air and material are pulled upwardly through the nozzle 2 and delivered to a desired remote location. As the air and material pass over the flexible material strip 18, it causes the strip to vibrate and thereby cause the nozzle 2 to vibrate at a resonate frequency. As particles being removed from the container begin to bridge and plug the nozzle 2, the lateral movement of the material strip 18 laterally displaces the particles and moves them from their potential bridging position to a position at which they more readily move through the nozzle 2. Vibration of the nonle 2 at a resonate frequency causes the nozzle to contact and move the material particles thereby preventing bridging adjacent the nozzle and substantially uniform flow of material to the nozzle opening. As the velocity of the air and materials is changed and the nozzle is used on different types of material, the frequency of the vibrations and resultant lateral movement of the material strip 18 can be adjusted by moving the strip 18 relative to the holding means in response to rotation of the bolt 28. By so adjusting the frequency and lateral distance moved by the strip 18, the nozzle can be adjusted to easily provide for the elimination of nozzle bridging and maintain the nozzle 2 vibrating at a resonate frequency with the strip 18.

It should also be understood that one the optimum frequency of the material strip 18 has been determined for a particular set of operating conditions and material particles, an operator can construct a nozzle of this invention without the maintaining and moving means if he installs a strip 18 having dimensions and a stiffness which will cause resonate vibration of the nozzle at those conditions. As long as the operating conditions and materials do not change, then the simplified nozzle can function properly to prevent bridging of material within and adjacent the noule.

Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an improved vacuum nozzle having a longitudinal axis, a chamber, an inner surface, and first and second end portions with said second end portion being adapted to be attached to a vacuum source for removing materials from a container, the improvement comprising:

a holding element attached at a first end to the inner surface of the nozzle and extending a distance laterally therefrom toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, and

a strip of flexible material attached to a second end of the holding element and extending within the chamber, said material having dimensions and a flexibility sufficient to be vibrated by the air and material passing through the nozzle during operation of the nozzle.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a maintaining element attached at a first end to the inner surface of the nozzle at a location between the holding element and the second end portion of the nozzle and extending a distance laterally therefrom toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle and into contact with the flexible material, and

means for moving the flexible material relative to the maintaining element for changing the vibration frequency of the flexible material.

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flexible material can be moved to a position such that the frequency of vibration of the flexible material is substantially equal to a resonant vibrating frequency of the nozzle.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flexible material extends within the chamber substantially along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum source connected to said second end portion. 

1. In an improved vacuum nozzle having a longitudinal axis, a chamber, an inner surface, and first and second end portions with said second end portion being adapted to be attached to a vacuum source for removing materials from a container, the improvement comprising: a holding element attached at a first end to the inner surface of the nozzle and extending a distance laterally therefrom toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, and a strip of flexible material attached to a second end of the holding element and extending within the chamber, said material having dimensions and a flexibility sufficient to be vibrated by the air and material passing through the nozzle during operation of the nozzle.
 2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a maintaining element attached at a first end to the inner surface of the nozzle at a location between the holding element and the second end portion of the nozzle and extending a distance laterally therefrom toward the longitudinal axis of the nozzle and into contact with the flexible material, and means for moving the flexible material relative to the maintaining element for changing the vibration frequency of the flexible material.
 3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flexible material can be moved to a position such that the frequency of vibration of the flexible material is substantially equal to a resonant vibrating frequency of the nozzle.
 4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flexible material extends within the chamber substantially along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum source connected to said second end portion. 